Short answer: the Tribit Xsound Surf. It ranks #79 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $26; the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 ranks #88 and costs $105, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Tribit Xsound Surf offers: Rugged rubberized frame with a metal grille. Set against that: Bass doesn’t go as deep as others, strange midrange peaks.
The case for the Ultimate Ears Boom 4: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. The catch: Not much improvement over the old ones.
Buy the Tribit Xsound Surf. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 is rated for 15 hours versus 10 hours for the Tribit Xsound Surf.
Specifications Side By Side
| Tribit Xsound Surf | Ultimate Ears Boom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $26 | $105 |
| Ranked | #79 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #88 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 1 lbs / 440 g | 1.4 lbs / 620 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 7" x 2.2" x 2.1" (178 x 57 x 54 mm) | 7.2" x 2.9" x 2.9" (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 12W RMS | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX HD, aptX Lossless, LDAC, aptX Adaptive | - |
| Built in Microphone | Likely Yes (based on Tribit pattern) | No |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (via app) |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Drivers | 40W: 2x drivers with passive radiator | 2x 1.57" (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81" x 2.57" (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Power Input | - | USB-C |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Max Volume | - | 85dBC |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- JBL Grip vs Tribit Xsound Go
- Tribit Stormbox vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- Tribit Xsound Go vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Tribit Xsound Surf vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
The Two Speakers In Full
Tribit Xsound Surf: $26
Pros: Rugged rubberized frame with a metal grille. About 20% louder than the XSound Go at the same volume. IPX7 rated, USB-C charging, and pairs with a second Surf for stereo.
Cons: Bass doesn’t go as deep as others, strange midrange peaks
Full Tribit Xsound Surf review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX HD, aptX Lossless, LDAC, aptX Adaptive |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Likely Yes (based on Tribit pattern) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7" x 2.2" x 2.1" (178 x 57 x 54 mm) |
| Drivers | 40W: 2x drivers with passive radiator |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 12W RMS |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Weight | 1 lbs / 440 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit XSound Surf vs. XSound Go (Upgraded Model) Bluetooth Speaker Sound Comparison. More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Aphid Tech: Tribit XSound Surf vs Soundcore 2 - With Sound Comparison!
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Zealot S61 🦨 Bluetooth Speaker Review & Sound Comparison to Tribit XSound Surf. Another Zealot dud❓
- Reddit Search for Tribit Xsound Surf Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Tribit Xsound Surf vs Tribit Xsound Go
- Tribit Xsound Surf vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- Tribit Xsound Surf vs Soundcore 2
- Tribit Xsound Surf vs Sony ULT Field 1
- Tribit Xsound Surf vs LG Xboom Grab
- Tribit Xsound Surf vs JBL Grip
- Tribit Xsound Surf vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Tribit Xsound Surf vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- See all 27 comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 4: $105 Amazon
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. 15 hour battery. Customizable EQ and speaker-pairing via the UE app.
Cons: Not much improvement over the old ones. Weak bass extension and thuddy bass. Gets distorted above 90%
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 4 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" x 2.9" (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.57" (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81" x 2.57" (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 85dBC |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs / 620 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Tribit Stormbox
- See all 23 comparisons